


Velvet Puppets

by Faustist



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Drinking, F/M, Gen, One Shot, Sad Levi getting crunk, Spooky Queen Petra, ghost!Petra, rivetra
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-13 05:47:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29397174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Faustist/pseuds/Faustist
Summary: Being alone in an old pub on the westward side of Wall Sina was the last thing Levi wanted to on a dreary, Thursday night.[crossposted on fanfiction net]
Relationships: Levi/Petra Ral
Kudos: 11





	Velvet Puppets

**Author's Note:**

  * For [that bighead Kim](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=that+bighead+Kim).
  * Inspired by [velvet puppet - levi](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/760263) by Me. 



> If you want to get into the mood, listen to "Esther Abrami | No.2 Remembering Her" and have fun.

Being alone in an old pub on the westward side of Wall Sina was the last thing Levi wanted to on a dreary, Thursday night.

Levi sat at the bar. It was vacuous save for him. Even the owner seemed to have already left him alone, despite her attempts to make small talk.

Just the captain and the scotch in his glass.

But after what transpired that morning, He dared someone to criticize him.

His squad had tried to convince him from going, but after that... unfortunate "event". The man could no longer tarry in that building.

"Fuck..." the man verbalized to no one in particular. The silence in response was virtually sickening.

He lifted the scotch, forcing his frustrations back down, and gulped it down. His throat and lungs were warmed by the burning liquid. It was the only thing that kept the man sane nowadays.

But the longer he tried to push it away, the further he tried to get the present out of his mind. To fall back into the "delicate" past instead of suffering in his modern anguish...

But that never worked. Levi was still at the bar alone, keeping the whisky company.

The door behind him opens. Knowing good and well who it was, he doesn't turn around to check.

"Well, well, captain. I was hoping not to catch you here."

Petra.

"Ral," Levi started "Still haunting me, right? Go figure." He said taking another shot. Petra frowned.

"Really, Captain? Drinking? I hope this isn't going to turn into a Moblit problem." she said disappointed.

On the bar counter, Levi slams down the shot glass, shattering the rim.

"You know what? Stop it."

"Stop what, sir?"

"This shit. Seems like every time I do something reckless you show up. Why can't I be haunted by Auruo or Gunther. No, of course not..."

He goes for the bottle.

"Of course you pick me, right? I did something wrong so this is my punishment. Makes human sense, really."

There was a long, pregnant pause.

Then...

She laughed.

"Captain, do you not get it by now?" She giggled. The aforementioned captain glanced behind him, doing so for the first time in the entire conversation.

Petra moved slowly to the stool to the right of him and sat down. Taking a look forward, she said:

She stared at the shiny liquor bottles on the shelf in front of them. "I only choose to watch over people I care about."

Levi looked at her, astounded.

"Care about? Me?"

"Uh huh."

'"Why not haunt your father? Or hell, haunt Hange. I'm sure she'd love to have a ghost around." He said as another shot was taken, some of it leaking out of the bottom. But that had gone unnoticed.

"I can care about more than one person, y'know." She smirked. "Don't take it so personal."

"Trust me, I won't."

Silence.

"So Captain..." The girl started. "What happened this morning?"

Levi turned away.

"Tsk. Sounds like you already know what happened." He said looking at the shelves.

Petra turned to face him. "I'd only seen enough to be concerned."

"Really now?"

"Really."

Again, he picked up the bottle, but hesitated this time.

"I..." He started.

"Why did Commander Erwin say "Let them go, Levi" -er... Captain." Petra asked.

In answer, Levi shrugged. Petra started to frown.

"C'mon. Tell me."

He sighed.

"I kept "them". Even after he told me not to... I kept them." Petra was confused.

"And I left them sitting out... and they were gone..."

For a second, Petra stared at him, before truly understanding what he was eluding to.

"You mean...?"

"The insignias." Now Levi was concentrating on the shot glass. "I lost them."

"Oh captain..."

"Got into a shitty fight with Eyebrows and he told me he moved them. It's funny, really."

Petra blinked. "How so?" She asked.

For a second, Levi stopped. That would be the time he took to pour out another round.

"You want one? Taste like piss but isn't complete crap."

Obviously unamused, Petra stared at him. "Captain, what's so funny?"

Levi peered at her, sending out a low, sharp chuckle. "He waited until after I chewed everyone out before he said it." Levi finished. Petra snickered.

"You really did mess up, huh captain?" asked Petra. Levi scoffed, now looking directly at her.

"So you're taking the piss out of me, huh?"

"No, just telling the truth. Y'know, being honest." she answered. "Commander Erwin isn't wrong, captain. You keeping our old insignias was unhealthy. You do need to understand there was nothing you could do–"

"The hell I couldn't have done something!" he older man spat. Petra sighed.

"Give me one variable you could've changed. It has to be a good one."

"I could have..." He drawled off. Petra slammed her hand on the counter.

"Trick question!" She exclaimed which startled him.

"Trick...what?"

"Look, no matter how many times you run that scenario in your head you can't change anything. I'm still dead, Eld's dead, Gunther's dead and Auruo's dead!" She stood over him, tallying as she counted her dead comrades on her fingertips.

"And if you don't accept it and move on, you'll let that distract you and everyone else around you of your goal!" She finished off. Levi clicked his tongue and stands up to face her.

"What goal?! To lose more of my squad? What kind of answer is that?!"

"To free humanity, dang it! No matter the sacrifice." Levi was about to walk out when she grabbed his arm.

"People have died on expeditions and guess what? We learn. We fix what we lack and we move on."

"You–"

"It's not healthy! And it's selfish! You don't think our families want them more that you do? My dad didn't even receive my insignia! I bet you're still holding onto mine." She huffed and turned away from him.

"No, you're wrong."

"Huh?"

"I gave yours away. Sorry to disappoint."

Petra was pleasantly surprised. "You did that? How come?"

"Let's just say... I'm not as selfish as you might think."

\------------------------------------------------------------

After about thirty-four more minutes of chatting, they realize it was half-past midnight.

"This was interesting, captain. Maybe we should have more conversations like this." Petra stood up from her spot.

"What? You have another friend to go haunt?" He said quite disappointed. Petra sighs and smiles.

"Well, I can care about more than one person, captain." She teased. Levi gave a small smile.

"Knowing how your routine works, it feels certain I'll see you around?" He asked, filling up one last shot to finish off the night. She smiles.

"I don't know, you tell me? Are you going to work on yourself or will we need to have another therapy session?" She inquired.

Levi turns in his seat to face her.

"Yes, only if you promise to come back." He offered her his hand. Petra gladly took it.

"Deal." she said.

As she began to exit, Levi asked her one last favor.

"Petra."

"Yes, captain?"

"Call me Levi." he offered. "Just Levi."

Petra seemed more than pleased about that.

"Alright then, Levi."

And with that, she faded away.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"There you are, Levi." A voice said from the doorway.

"Oi, Erwin. What took you so long?" Levi asked, standing up from the bar-stool. Erwin crossed his arms.

"You've been gone for eight hours. I almost announced a search party, but I figured you could handle yourself."

"Tch. Of course you would consider a search party."

"Are you okay?"

Levi stared at the damaged shot glass that he had been holding for quite some time now, recounting his conversation with his former squad member.

"Just fine. No one threw a fit while I was gone, huh? Your eyebrows seem to be intact. That's good." Levi said nonchalantly. Erwin brushes off the comment with a forward response.

"No. Let's go, it's late."

"Hmm..."

The two soldiers leave through the door, as they head down the street, Erwin finally asks:

"Levi?"

"What?"

"Who were you talking to?"


End file.
